Greatest Honour
Greatest Honour
Regally-Bred Fountain of Youth-G2 Winner by Tapit
2018, Bay, 16.3h | Entered Stud: 2023 | Nominated to: Breeders' Cup, KTDF
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“If you just rewind to the unmistakable brilliance of his original emergence, then you can only be excited to have cut-price access to such a regal bloodline. Above all, Greatest Honour passes the ultimate test of pedigree depth.” —Chris McGrath
Named on Chris McGrath’s 2023 ‘Value Podium’ in the Thoroughbred Daily News, representing one of the very best values among all first-year stallions.
Named as ‘First Team’ on Joe Nevill’s 2023 ‘All-Value Sire Team’ in the Paulick Report, representing the No. 1 value among all first-year stallions.
The dominant 3yo at Gulfstream Park in 2021: Won the $300,000 Fountain of Youth-G2 over G1 winner Drain the Clock going away, and $200,000 Holy Bull-G3 by 5 3/4 lengths.
One of the fastest 3yos on the 2021 Kentucky Derby Trail: 6 3/4 on Ragozin, paired 1s on Thoro-Graph, 103 on Brisnet.
“An absolute gift. If the ball had bounced a few different ways, Greatest Honour has the background and physical to have stood for much more. He stands up to his on-paper accolades when you see him on the end of the shank…a head-turner.” —Joe Nevills
6 3/4 RAGOZIN — Life Is Good (4 3/4), Essential Quality (6 1/4), Known Agenda (6 3/4), Medina Spirit (6 3/4), Hot Rod Charlie (7), Mandaloun (8 1/4), Rock Your World (9); Only Life Is Good ran faster prior to Greatest Honour’s injury as the odds-on favorite in the Florida Derby.
1 THORO-GRAPH (twice) — Essential Quality (-1/2), Life Is Good (0), Known Agenda (1 1/2), Rock Your World (2 3/4), Mandaloun (3), Medina Spirit (3), Hot Rod Charlie (3 3/4); Only champion Essential Quality and Life Is Good ran faster prior to Greatest Honour’s injury.
103 BRISNET — Life Is Good (103), Essential Quality (102), Rock Your World (102), Known Agenda (101), Hot Rod Charlie (100), Mandaloun (100).
“Greatest Honour already has an impressive graded stakes victory under his belt, in which he earned very fast speed figures. You’re not going to find a stronger pedigree. He has emerged as a truly exceptional colt.” —Steve Haskin
Became an early favorite for the 2021 Kentucky Derby after reeling off three straight wins; Top 3 in the future wagering pools in early Spring, along with champion Essential Quality and Life Is Good.
Rated No. 1 on Steve Haskin’s 2021 Kentucky Derby rankings for six straight weeks.
Competed in some of the highest-rated maiden races in the country at 2: Won a MdSpWt at Gulfstream over G2 winner Dynamic One; Competitive in two sprints behind G1 winners Olympiad & Speakers Corner, respectively, and narrowly defeated by G1 winner Known Agenda.
“One of the things about him is that he’s a big colt with a distance pedigree, so for him to get to the races at Saratoga (as a 2-year-old) shows what an athletic-type horse he is.” —Trainer Shug McGaughey
Hails from one of the best families in the stud book: Out of the $2,200,000 mare Tiffany’s Honour, by Street Cry (Ire); 2nd dam is 2007 Broodmare of the Year BETTER THAN HONOUR, the dam of two American classic winners — RAGS TO RICHES-G1 (Kentucky Oaks-G1, Belmont-G1, etc) & JAZIL-G1 (Belmont-G1, etc), Breeders’ Cup winner MAN OF IRON, G2 winner CASINO DRIVE (Japan’s 2015 champion freshman sire), etc.
Tapit’s fastest and most dominant 3yo in Florida since leading sire CONSTITUTION (7 1/4 Ragozin in Florida Derby-G1).
By sire of sires TAPIT, the dominant stallion from the SEATTLE SLEW / A.P. INDY sire line and one of the greatest classic dirt influences in the breed. Greatest Honour is bred on the same cross as closely-related superstar filly RAGS TO RICHES, one of the great A.P. Indy’s most popular champions.
“One of the best combinations of pedigree, looks and ability among the sons of Tapit that we’ve evaluated” —Ned Toffey
| Age | Starts | 1st (SW) | 2nd (SP) | 3rd (SP) | Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | $56,200 |
| 3 | 3 | 2 (2) | 0 | 1 (1) | $366,240 |
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1) | $24,000 |
| Totals | 10 | 3 (2) | 1 | 4 (2) | $446,440 |
Racing Highlights
Won at 2
- Maiden Special Weight race at Gulfstream (8.5f, defeating Dynamic One, etc.)
- Maiden Special Weight race at Aqueduct (9f, to Known Agenda by a head, defeating Overtook, etc.)
3rd at 2
- Maiden Special Weight race at Belmont Park (7f, to Speakers Corner and Caddo River, defeating Miles D, Chasing Fame, Bourbonic, etc.)
- Maiden Special Weight race at Saratoga (7f, to Olympiad and Caddo River, defeating Munqad, Officiating, Regular Guy, etc.)
- Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park ($300,000, G2, 8.5f in 1:44.02 by 1 1/2 lengths, defeating Drain the Clock, Tarantino, Prime Factor, Fire at Will, etc.)
- Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park ($200,000, G3, 8.5f in 1:43.19 by 5 3/4 lengths, defeating Tarantino, Prime Factor, Sittin On Go, Willy Boi, etc.)
- Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park (G1, 9f, to Known Agenda and Soup and Sandwich, defeating Nova Rags, Collaborate, Spielberg, etc.)
- Ghostzapper at Gulfstream Park (G3, 9f, to Fearless and Capocostello, defeating Twelve Volt Man, Commandeer and Carlos L.
Pedigree
ALAN PORTER’S 2023 BREEDING ANALYSIS FOR GREATEST HONOUR
A winner of three straight races, including the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), Greatest Honour is by Tapit out of a half-sister to Champion Rags to Riches from the fabulous family of Best in Show.
The cross of Tapit with mares from the Storm Cat branch of Northern Dancer has been a prolific one. This includes Champion Monomoy Girl by a son of Tapit out of a mare by Henny Hughes, who is by Hennessy, himself the broodmare sire of a Tapit grade one winner, and sire of Johannesburg (sire of Scat Daddy), also broodmare sire of a Tapit stakes winner, and crosses with mares carrying Johannesburg and Scat Daddy give inbreeding to the sisters Preach and Yarn, as found in Justify. Tapit line Champions Hansen and British Idiom are out of mares by Storm Cat sons Sir Cat, and Mr. Sekiguchi. There are also Tapit grade one winners from daughters of Forestry (sire of Discreet Cat and Shackleford), Giant’s Causeway (sire of First Samurai, Eskendereya, Creative Cause and Not This Time, and a brother to Freud), Tabasco Cat, Bluegrass Cat, Yankee Gentleman and Seeking the Dia. There are three graded stakes winners out of mares by by Harlan’s Holiday (sire of Into Mischief – himself already broodmare sire of Tapit line grade one winner White Abarrio – Majesticperfection and Shanghai Bobby) and there is also a graded winner out of a mare by Menifee, who like Harlan’s Holiday is by Harlan. We can also note Tapit graded winners out of mares by Storm Cat line stallions Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir), Forestry and Catienus, and stakes winners out of mares by Stormin Fever, Pure Prize, Hold That Tiger and City Place.
Greatest Honour has a second dam by Deputy Minister, a branch of Northern Dancer that has done well under Tapit. Here, the Deputy Minister strain will be in the fourth generation of Greatest Honour, permitting breeding back over Deputy Minister line mares. On this cross, grade one winner American Gal is one of four stakes winners by Tapit and sons out of mares by Ghostzapper (by Awesome Again, also sire of Toccet, Daaher and Awesome of Course). Tapit and his sons also have graded winners out of mares by Graeme Hall, a son of the Deputy Minister stallion, Dehere (also broodmare sire of a Tapit line stakes winner) and French Deputy, and stakes winners out of mares by Touch Gold and Posse and Spring At Last, both by Silver Deputy, who should work very well here.
Sadler’s Wells is another branch of the Northern Dancer line, and on the Tapit cross with that line there are grade one winners out of mares by Galileo (sire in the U.S. of Cape Blanco and Magician) and El Prado and his son, Kitten’s Joy. There are also two graded winners out of mares by El Prado son, Medaglia d’Oro (and two stakes winners out of a mare by Medaglia d’Oro son, Warrior’s Reward), which also suggests Artie Schiller. There are also stakes winners out of mares by Sadler’s Wells line stallions High Chaparral and Horse Chestnut.
From the Danzig branch of Northern Dancer, Tapit has graded winners Souper Tapit and Silver Dust out of mares by Hard Spun, and there are also Tapit line stakes winners out of mares by War Chant, Belong to Me, Exchange Rate, Danzig Connection and Boundary (sire of Big Brown), Anabaa and Exceed and Excel (by Danehill). This would also suggest daughters of War Front (who looks particularly interesting here) and Langfuhr. From the Dixieland Band branch of Northern Dancer, Tapit has a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Dixieland Band himself, and there are four graded stakes winners out of mares by that horse’s son, Dixie Union.
Greatest Honour is a product of a version of the Tapit cross with Mr. Prospector line mares, but that horse will be in the fifth generation of Greatest Honour’s offspring, allowing breeding back over selected branches of that line. On this cross, Tapit’s champion and classic winner Essential Quality is out of a mare by Elusive Quality (sire of Quality Road and Smarty Jones), a son of Gone West. From other sons of that stallion, we find grade one winners out of mares by Mr. Greeley and Proud Citizen, and graded stakes winners from mares by Muqtarib, Johar and Grand Slam. This also suggests trying mares by Speightstown and his son, Munnings.
There also seems to be an affinity for the Forty Niner branch of Mr. Prospector, with grade one winner Constitution out of a daughter of Distorted Humor (sire of Sharp Humor, Maclean’s Music and Jimmy Creed); grade one winner Dance Card out of a mare by Editor’s Note; as well as two stakes winners out of mares by Coronado’s Quest, and stakes winners out of a mare by Bankers Gold, Sunday Break and End Sweep (sire of Trippi).
From a mare by Mr. Prospector son, Carson City, Tapit sired grade one winner Pretty City Dancer, and two other graded stakes winners, who would suggest daughters of City Zip and Cuvee – both broodmare sires of Tapit line stakes winners – Five Star Day, Good And Tough, Pollard’s Vision and Lord Carson. There is a Tapit graded winners out of mares Smoke Glacken and Ponche, both sons of Two Punch; Tapit line graded winners out of mares by Cape Town and his sire, Seeking the Gold (also sire of Petionville and Mutakddim); out of mares from the Smart Strike line there is a Tapit line graded stakes winner out of a mare by Curlin; two stakes winners out of mares by Roman Ruler, a son of Fusaichi Pegasus; and a stakes winner out of a mare by Lemon Drop Kid.
Tapit is out of a mare by Unbridled, from the Fappiano branch and there has been some success with the cross back over Fappiano line mares. Tapit is sire of grade one winner Ring Weekend out of a mare by Fappiano line stallion, Cryptoclearance, and a stakes winner out of a mare by his son, Crypto Star, inviting daughters of Candy Ride (sire of Twirling Candy) and Victory Gallop.
There are six grade one winners out of mares by Empire Maker (sire of Pioneerof the Nile and Bodemeister, and grandsire of American Pharoah and Cairo Prince), two stakes winners out of mares by Broken Vow, and five, including Champion Unique Bella, out of mares by Unbridled’s Song, sire of Cross Traffic, Songandaprayer, Rockport Harbor, Old Fashioned, Even The Score, Mission Impazible and Half Ours.
From other branches of the Unbridled line come Grindstone and Birdstone, and it could also pay to consider introducing Fappiano through Rubiano – a three-quarters brother to the dam of Tapit – and Quiet American (grandsire of Midnight Lute).
Out of Blushing Groom line mares, Tapit and sons have sired graded stakes winners out of mares by Orientate (by Mt. Livermore), Cherokee Run (sire of Yonaguska – also broodmare sire of a Tapit line stakes winner – and Kafwain) and Rahy. Tapit’s Champion Untapable is out of a mare by Prized, by Kris S (also sire of Arch and his son, Blame and Rock Hard Ten – all broodmare sires of Tapit line graded stakes winners). Kris S is by Roberto, also sire of Dynaformer and Red Ransom.
Tapit also has a graded winner by In Excess and the sensational Flightline is by Tapit out of mare by In Excess son Indian Charlie. There is also a Tapit line graded stakes winner out of a mare by In Excess son, Uncle Mo. In Excess is also sire of Rocky Bar, Notional and Bring the Heat, and Indian Charlie is additionally represented by Adios Charlie, Bwana Charlie, Liaison and Cinco Charlie.
From the In Reality line, Tapit line stallions have three stakes winners, including classic winner Tapwrit from the Valid Appeal branch. The cross of Tapit and sons over the Relaunch branch has produced classic winner Tiz the Law, out of a mare by Tiznow (sire of Gemologist, Colonel John, Tiz Wonderful, Strong Mandate and Tourist), and two stakes winners, one graded out of mares by Honour and Glory.
ALAN PORTER’S 2023 BREEDING ANALYSIS FOR GREATEST HONOUR
A winner of three straight races, including the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), Greatest Honour is by Tapit out of a half-sister to Champion Rags to Riches from the fabulous family of Best in Show.
The cross of Tapit with mares from the Storm Cat branch of Northern Dancer has been a prolific one. This includes Champion Monomoy Girl by a son of Tapit out of a mare by Henny Hughes, who is by Hennessy, himself the broodmare sire of a Tapit grade one winner, and sire of Johannesburg (sire of Scat Daddy), also broodmare sire of a Tapit stakes winner, and crosses with mares carrying Johannesburg and Scat Daddy give inbreeding to the sisters Preach and Yarn, as found in Justify. Tapit line Champions Hansen and British Idiom are out of mares by Storm Cat sons Sir Cat, and Mr. Sekiguchi. There are also Tapit grade one winners from daughters of Forestry (sire of Discreet Cat and Shackleford), Giant’s Causeway (sire of First Samurai, Eskendereya, Creative Cause and Not This Time, and a brother to Freud), Tabasco Cat, Bluegrass Cat, Yankee Gentleman and Seeking the Dia. There are three graded stakes winners out of mares by by Harlan’s Holiday (sire of Into Mischief – himself already broodmare sire of Tapit line grade one winner White Abarrio – Majesticperfection and Shanghai Bobby) and there is also a graded winner out of a mare by Menifee, who like Harlan’s Holiday is by Harlan. We can also note Tapit graded winners out of mares by Storm Cat line stallions Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir), Forestry and Catienus, and stakes winners out of mares by Stormin Fever, Pure Prize, Hold That Tiger and City Place.
Greatest Honour has a second dam by Deputy Minister, a branch of Northern Dancer that has done well under Tapit. Here, the Deputy Minister strain will be in the fourth generation of Greatest Honour, permitting breeding back over Deputy Minister line mares. On this cross, grade one winner American Gal is one of four stakes winners by Tapit and sons out of mares by Ghostzapper (by Awesome Again, also sire of Toccet, Daaher and Awesome of Course). Tapit and his sons also have graded winners out of mares by Graeme Hall, a son of the Deputy Minister stallion, Dehere (also broodmare sire of a Tapit line stakes winner) and French Deputy, and stakes winners out of mares by Touch Gold and Posse and Spring At Last, both by Silver Deputy, who should work very well here.
Sadler’s Wells is another branch of the Northern Dancer line, and on the Tapit cross with that line there are grade one winners out of mares by Galileo (sire in the U.S. of Cape Blanco and Magician) and El Prado and his son, Kitten’s Joy. There are also two graded winners out of mares by El Prado son, Medaglia d’Oro (and two stakes winners out of a mare by Medaglia d’Oro son, Warrior’s Reward), which also suggests Artie Schiller. There are also stakes winners out of mares by Sadler’s Wells line stallions High Chaparral and Horse Chestnut.
From the Danzig branch of Northern Dancer, Tapit has graded winners Souper Tapit and Silver Dust out of mares by Hard Spun, and there are also Tapit line stakes winners out of mares by War Chant, Belong to Me, Exchange Rate, Danzig Connection and Boundary (sire of Big Brown), Anabaa and Exceed and Excel (by Danehill). This would also suggest daughters of War Front (who looks particularly interesting here) and Langfuhr. From the Dixieland Band branch of Northern Dancer, Tapit has a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Dixieland Band himself, and there are four graded stakes winners out of mares by that horse’s son, Dixie Union.
Greatest Honour is a product of a version of the Tapit cross with Mr. Prospector line mares, but that horse will be in the fifth generation of Greatest Honour’s offspring, allowing breeding back over selected branches of that line. On this cross, Tapit’s champion and classic winner Essential Quality is out of a mare by Elusive Quality (sire of Quality Road and Smarty Jones), a son of Gone West. From other sons of that stallion, we find grade one winners out of mares by Mr. Greeley and Proud Citizen, and graded stakes winners from mares by Muqtarib, Johar and Grand Slam. This also suggests trying mares by Speightstown and his son, Munnings.
There also seems to be an affinity for the Forty Niner branch of Mr. Prospector, with grade one winner Constitution out of a daughter of Distorted Humor (sire of Sharp Humor, Maclean’s Music and Jimmy Creed); grade one winner Dance Card out of a mare by Editor’s Note; as well as two stakes winners out of mares by Coronado’s Quest, and stakes winners out of a mare by Bankers Gold, Sunday Break and End Sweep (sire of Trippi).
From a mare by Mr. Prospector son, Carson City, Tapit sired grade one winner Pretty City Dancer, and two other graded stakes winners, who would suggest daughters of City Zip and Cuvee – both broodmare sires of Tapit line stakes winners – Five Star Day, Good And Tough, Pollard’s Vision and Lord Carson. There is a Tapit graded winners out of mares Smoke Glacken and Ponche, both sons of Two Punch; Tapit line graded winners out of mares by Cape Town and his sire, Seeking the Gold (also sire of Petionville and Mutakddim); out of mares from the Smart Strike line there is a Tapit line graded stakes winner out of a mare by Curlin; two stakes winners out of mares by Roman Ruler, a son of Fusaichi Pegasus; and a stakes winner out of a mare by Lemon Drop Kid.
Tapit is out of a mare by Unbridled, from the Fappiano branch and there has been some success with the cross back over Fappiano line mares. Tapit is sire of grade one winner Ring Weekend out of a mare by Fappiano line stallion, Cryptoclearance, and a stakes winner out of a mare by his son, Crypto Star, inviting daughters of Candy Ride (sire of Twirling Candy) and Victory Gallop.
There are six grade one winners out of mares by Empire Maker (sire of Pioneerof the Nile and Bodemeister, and grandsire of American Pharoah and Cairo Prince), two stakes winners out of mares by Broken Vow, and five, including Champion Unique Bella, out of mares by Unbridled’s Song, sire of Cross Traffic, Songandaprayer, Rockport Harbor, Old Fashioned, Even The Score, Mission Impazible and Half Ours.
From other branches of the Unbridled line come Grindstone and Birdstone, and it could also pay to consider introducing Fappiano through Rubiano – a three-quarters brother to the dam of Tapit – and Quiet American (grandsire of Midnight Lute).
Out of Blushing Groom line mares, Tapit and sons have sired graded stakes winners out of mares by Orientate (by Mt. Livermore), Cherokee Run (sire of Yonaguska – also broodmare sire of a Tapit line stakes winner – and Kafwain) and Rahy. Tapit’s Champion Untapable is out of a mare by Prized, by Kris S (also sire of Arch and his son, Blame and Rock Hard Ten – all broodmare sires of Tapit line graded stakes winners). Kris S is by Roberto, also sire of Dynaformer and Red Ransom.
Tapit also has a graded winner by In Excess and the sensational Flightline is by Tapit out of mare by In Excess son Indian Charlie. There is also a Tapit line graded stakes winner out of a mare by In Excess son, Uncle Mo. In Excess is also sire of Rocky Bar, Notional and Bring the Heat, and Indian Charlie is additionally represented by Adios Charlie, Bwana Charlie, Liaison and Cinco Charlie.
From the In Reality line, Tapit line stallions have three stakes winners, including classic winner Tapwrit from the Valid Appeal branch. The cross of Tapit and sons over the Relaunch branch has produced classic winner Tiz the Law, out of a mare by Tiznow (sire of Gemologist, Colonel John, Tiz Wonderful, Strong Mandate and Tourist), and two stakes winners, one graded out of mares by Honour and Glory.
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